Why do some lips just look more luscious than others? Is it genes? Turns out, our lips are prone to deterioration and age. Yet, it is one of the most neglected part of our face. Here are some of the best hacks to help you rock younger-looking lips in no time.

EXFOLIATE

Exfoliate dry lips for a smoother lipstick application. Using a clean, disposable mascara wand, apply a balm over your mouth first to give your lips some slip, so it’s easier to slough away any flaky skin. If you have slightly deeper pockets, use a fine scrub like Crystal healing, mix it with some Vaseline and use it all over your lips for a dual exfoliation cum hydration treat!

CLEAN

Many ladies don’t clean their lipstick off thoroughly. Using just soap and water is a surefire way to leave some makeup stains behind. Lipsticks and Lip glosses are oil-based so your foaming facial cleanser does little to dissolve them away. Instead, use a full face makeup remover like Undo, and give your lips as a final swipe to clean off all lip colour. This will ensure your lips do not accumulate stains over time, leaving their soft and pink.

HYDRATE

Did you hear right? Yes, even the skin of our lips need hydration. And by hydration we do not mean using lip balms or lip glosses— these cosmetics merely leave a layer on your lips without really penetrating beyond the surface. But not all products penetrate or hydrate the skin equally. Remember that the lips have no oil glands, so it’s much better to use a natural oil thna a lotion or serum. Our favourite? Emerald oil by CHAI, it’s a beauty secret of many top facialists. Formulated with organic oils meant for an eye treatment, it can also multi-task, deeply hydrating and nourishing the lips. Its unique formulation helps it penetrate skin easily to give you younger-looking and softer lips.

DIY LIPSTICK

Re-purpose broken eye shadow as a lip color. If your favorite shadow crumbles and it’s a color you’d also wear on your lips, store the broken pieces in a tiny container and mix what’s left with some balm on a spoon, and then apply.

MAKE IT LAST

Turn any lipstick into a long-wearing version with translucent powder. First, swipe on your lip color, hold a tissue over your mouth, and then dust translucent powder over it. A small amount of the powder with transfer onto the tissue this way, locking in your color.

ROCK A NUDE SHADE

If your lips have a lot of pink or red tones in them, pat concealer over them before you apply any lipstick to nude them out. This helps ensure that your lip color will look exactly how it does in the packaging on your lips; otherwise, the pink or red tones will alter how the color appears when you apply it.